Republicans Are About to Vote for a Social Security Death Panel

Today, House Republicans released a Continuing Resolution that includes a “fiscal commission” designed to fast-track cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and other government programs. They plan to vote on the Continuing Resolution today. The following is a statement on the commission from Nancy Altman, President of Social Security Works:

“This commission is designed to subvert the will of the American people by fast-tracking cuts to Social Security and Medicare behind closed doors. Tellingly, the Continuing Resolution specifies that Congress will vote on the commission’s recommendations ‘no earlier than November 6th, 2024’ — the day after the next election!

The commission’s recommendations will have priority over other legislative business. They can’t be amended or slowed down. This commission is designed to allow incumbents to avoid political accountability in the upcoming election for their support of drastic cuts to Americans’ earned benefits — and then vote in the lame duck Congress to force those cuts down the American people’s throats. That’s the price Republicans are demanding in return for keeping the government open for all of 31 days.

There is nothing bipartisan about this commission. Eighty-three percent of Democrats, 73 percent of independents, and 73 percent of Republicans want to expand Social Security and pay for it by making the wealthy contribute their fair share. That’s the real ‘bipartisan solution’ — but Republican politicians refuse to support it.

Earlier this year, the White House accurately labeled this type of commission a ‘death panel’ for Social Security and Medicare. Today, the Biden Administration is continuing to call out this commission for what it is — a plot to steal the American people’s earned Social Security and Medicare benefits.

Every single Democrat in the House and Senate should do the same. Any member that votes for this Continuing Resolution is voting to cut Social Security and Medicare. Social Security Works will do everything we can to make sure their constituents know that they have voted for a death panel.”